


Our First Halloween

by f0rever15elf



Category: The Great Wall (2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Food mention, Pedro Pascal - Freeform, pero being good with kids, pero being grumpy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27803404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/f0rever15elf/pseuds/f0rever15elf
Summary: It’s your first Halloween with your Pero in your new home, and you go all out with the decorations.
Relationships: Pero Tovar / you, Pero Tovar/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Our First Halloween

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in the They Were Roommates universe, but can be read as a stand alone. Check out They Were Roommates for a more in depth backstory on this couple.

“ _Amor,”_ Pero groans from his spot on the couch as he lets his head fall back against the back cushion. “You have been at this for hours. This is too much.” You huff at his complaints, sitting in the middle of the living room of your home as you sort through box upon box of Halloween decorations.

“This is the best time of year, Pero! Aha!” you chime as you find your old witch’s hat, putting it on before smiling proudly. Your lover watches you with an arched brow, refusing to get up from the couch. “I have lights that I can finally put up on the outside of the house now that I actually _have_ a house!” The smile on your face is one of the most beautiful Pero thinks he’s ever seen as you ramble on about all of the decorations you can use now, and when you flash him your puppy dog eyes, he finally caves and joins you on the floor.

“Tell me what you need me to do, _amor_.”

You laden his arms with porch decorations before pointing to two other boxes labeled “yard.” “Take these out front and I’ll come help you start putting things up.” You lean over to press a quick kiss to his cheek, grinning as the tips of his ears turn pink. He grunts in affirmation, quickly standing to do as you ask while you go back to rummaging. This would be the best Halloween yet.

~~~

“ _Chiquita_ , you are insane,” your Spaniard grumbles from the web covered porch swing next to the articulated skeleton you affectionately call Frank. It had taken several hours, but you and Pero had finally gotten up all of your decorations for the front yard, complete with the skeletons in the graveyard throwing their own little monster mash. You’d need to pick up some solo cups the next time you were at the store to really complete your vision.

“In a good way,” you retort, smiling at him. He had grumbled about it all day, but Pero had done everything you’d asked of him. From hanging the ghosts from the porch to stringing the lights on the eves, he did everything. And now your house looked perfect. Satisfied with the day’s work, you skip up the porch steps and over to Pero. Dark eyes look up at you as he lets you stand between his knees, resting his hands on your hips. “I had an idea.”

He rolls his eyes playfully, that small smirk on his lips as he squeezes your hips. “A dangerous thing, coming from you.” He chuckles as you smack his shoulder. “I’m joking, _amor._ What is your idea, hm?”

“I want us to dress up for Halloween this year. We can go shopping together. There’s a Spirit store not far from here, and they always have neat costumes. We could match!” Pero wants so desperately to say no. He’s never understood the point of Halloween, really, and dressing up just sounds exhausting. But the beautiful gleam in your eyes shatters his resolve.

“I… _sí_. We can dress up together, _mi alma.”_ He knows he’s said the right thing when you throw your arms around him, peppering his face with kisses as you giggle. He grunts again under the affection, but enjoys every moment of it as he holds you in his arms. When you finally pull away, he has that gentle smile on his face that’s only for you as he reaches up to brush a bit of hair from your face.

“Can we go tomorrow? Do you have to work?”

Pero shakes his head, pulling you down so you’re situated in his lap on the swing. “I am off for the next two days. You have me all to yourself.”

You press another kiss to his cheek before smiling. “Good. All the better to find the perfect set of costumes!”

~~~

Why oh why did he agree to this? What _brujería_ did you work on him to get him to say yes to this?

Pero stands hunched in on himself as you drag him around the crowded Halloween store. He hates crowds, always has. Everyone keeps bumping into him before scuttling away when they see his scowl. He nearly punches the animatronic clown that jumps at him as you drag him past it, flashing you an annoyed glance as you laugh at him. All he wants is to get whatever ridiculous costume you want to put him in and go home. But then he sees the smile on your face as you point excitedly at three witches over a smoking cauldron, and he feels a little less irritated. This is for you, he reminds himself. All for you, to see that beautiful smile.

“We should be something super cool for Halloween, I think.” Your fingers are laced with his as you tug him through the store. “What do you think?” He simply grunts in reply and you smile, figuring that’s about as much of a reply as you’ll get from him while you’re out and about like this. “What about mobsters?” You pull out the bags of matching mobster outfits, holding them up and Pero simply arches an eyebrow. You sigh and put them back, continuing on.

Gladiators? Nope. Vampires? Nah. Clowns? Hell no.

Finally, you find what you think is the perfect idea. With a Cheshire grin, you hold up two bags. A knight and a princess. Pero’s face looks less hostile as he appraises the costumes before finally nodding in approval. “Just so long as I get to have a sword. And I’m not wearing a helmet.” You giggle and nod at his conditions, tucking the bags into your arm basket. Pero makes for the checkout counter then and there, and nearly makes it before realizing you’re not next to him anymore. He groans, turning to find you again in the swarm of people far too excited for such a simple holiday.

When he finds you, you’re standing with your head tilted in front of a coffin with smoke pouring from it. He can see it in your eyes that you’re contemplating buying it. “ _Amor.”_ His words sound almost like a warning and you look over to him before looking back at the coffin. The lid opens, and a creepy looking vampire slowly sits up before laughing and lying back down. “We do not need something like this. It’s too expensive.” The pout on your lips as you nod doesn’t go unnoticed and he sighs. “Do you want a new skeleton for the graveyard?” he asks quietly and your eyes light up again as you nod excitedly. “Go get one. Meet me at the checkout line.” You hop up on your tiptoes to peck his cheek before scampering off to get the newest member of your skeleton crew. You’d name her Catherine, you decide.

~~~

“I do not understand why you enjoy this so much,” Pero grumbles as you help affix his scabbard.

“Just try to enjoy yourself, my love. Kids really love Halloween.”

“Kids love candy, _amante_. They know this night means they’re allowed to be little gluttons.” He tugs you in front of him, eyes roaming over the bare skin of your plunging neckline as his hands rest on your hips.

“Some kids, yes. Others like the costumes and scary decorations. Come on, we need to get set up outside, my handsome knight.” He grumbles as he follows after you, already wishing to be out of the cheap plastic armor. He’d rather spend the night watching movies with you cradled in his lap than handing candy to children. But if this is what you want, then he’d endure it for you. Only because it’s you. He pats Essy’s head on the way, chuckling as she hops up on the window ledge to watch. 

In truth, part of the reason Pero dislikes Halloween is due to the reactions people always have to his brooding nature and scar across his eye. People, especially children, tend to shy away from him, and for as stoic and uncaring as he might seem, it’s not exactly a pleasant experience to see a child shy from you in fear due to how you look. One would think that on Halloween, this would happen less, but no. No it happens just as often, parents often ushering their children past without so much as stopping to give him a second glance. 

As the night falls, the little goblins and ghouls begin to make their way out. The street is well lit with old fashioned street lights, casting an ethereal glow as the children roam. They squeal and scream and laugh as the decorations frighten them, running up to your porch with a loud “tick-or-treat!” Pero stands behind you, hand resting on the hilt of his sword as you lean down to let the kids take whatever candy they want. They watch Pero with wide eyes before scampering off for more candy. Well, at least they aren’t acting scared of him this year. Or at least, they don’t seem to be. 

Eventually, Pero begins to relax, and you let him take a turn handing out candy to some of the kids who come by. When a little girl comes up, dressed in a gown similar to yours, she stares at him with wide eyes as he crouches to let her pick out her candy. She tilts her head, curious and Pero feels himself growing anxious, expecting her to run off crying. “What’s wrong with your face?” She asks in that innocent manner only children can manage and you hear her mother gasp from the porch.

“Madeline! Don’t be rude!” she scolds, but the child doesn’t listen, just blinking with curious eyes. Pero glances up at you, your brow pinched in slight concern before he looks back to the girl and gives her a lopsided smile.

“I fought a dragon to save my princess,” he claims, puffing out his chest a bit and the girl gasps looking at you.

“You’re his princess?” You smile at her and nod, giving the little princess a curtsy before she looks back to Pero. “One day, I want a knight like you!”

Pero feels his heart swell at her words, putting a little extra candy in her bag. “Happy Halloween, _princessa.”_ With that, the girl turns and scampers off to her parents.

“A dragon, hm?” You chuckle and shake your head as he stands to come back to your side, giving you a quick kiss.

“A better story than the truth, _amor_.”

“I think she really liked you, Pero.”

He nods, grunting as more children run up for their Halloween goodies.

Through the night, Pero opens up more and more to the little ones, telling stories of grandiose fights as they come to get candy from him. They ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ with every exclamation, screaming then laughing when Pero dramatizes the fight between him and the mighty scaled beast that held you captive. The sight of it warms you through, causing a fuzzy feeling in your stomach that you would address later. For now, you simply savored the look on your lover’s face as he interacted with the kids. He never struck you as the type to like children, but maybe you were wrong.

Eventually, the night winds down, the kids all retreating to their homes to count their spoils of the night. You and Pero head in as well for the night, a gentle smile on your face as you turn to help him out of his costume. “Finally, I am glad that’s over,” he grumbles, tugging off his shirt and running a hand through his hair to muss it after you help him out of the chest plate.

“I think you did a fantastic job, _amor_.” His eyes look up to you as he takes a seat on the sofa. “I didn’t have you pegged as the type of man who liked children. But you did a great job with telling them stories.” You stand in front of him to let him ease the zipper of your dress down, letting the scratchy costume fall from your body before curling up beside him in just your underwear and bra.

“I figured that was better than the real story,” he grunts, pulling you against him as he clicks on the TV to start a scary movie for you. “Should we watch that movie about the _brujas_ you have been going on about?”

“Hocus Pocus! You gotta watch Hocus Pocus on Halloween, it’s tradition!” His lips quirk up at your excitement, scrolling to find the movie. “But seriously, Pero. I think you did really well tonight. I liked watching you talking to the kids.” He grunts again, but you can tell your praise hits home as the tips of his ears turn pink again. A whine from the love seat draws both of your attention and you turn to see Essy watching from her new claimed spot on the love seat. “Well okay, c’mere girl.” The ‘no dogs on the new furniture’ rule lasted all of ten minutes after you brought it home, but you can’t really say you minded. She was a part of your family after all. Pero ruffles her fur as she curls up next to him, taking up the other half of the couch as she rests her head in his lap.

 _Maybe one day,_ your mind begins to wander. _Maybe one day, we’ll have one of our own._

“What was that?” Pero asks, looking down at you. You blink, and look up at him confused. “One of our own what, _mi alma_?” Your cheeks get hot as it dawns on you that you said that out loud.

“E-Erm, uh, n-n-nothing! Just daydreaming is all. Long day.” Pero arches a brow, but doesn’t press, knowing you would tell him in due time.

His fingers run soothingly along your side as the movie plays, relishing in the feeling of your skin pressed against his own, but Pero can’t seem to focus on it, his mind caught up on the smile on your face as you gave the children their sweets. It isn’t often the Pero allows himself to dream of his future, far too used to having it ripped harshly away from him. But with you, he finds himself more able to do so. And at the moment the only thought dancing through his mind is of a tiny face with his eyes and your smile. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even next year, he’s sure that one day in his future with you, a family is something he wants to share with you. 


End file.
